Dispensing closure



Feb. 20, 1968 T. J. D. RUSSELL 3,369,719

DISPENSING CLOSURE Filed Oct. 19, 1966 F INVENTOR, ii 7, 1 Duke RUSSELL in/m4 QTTQQ/JE VS United States Patent 3,369,719 DISPENSING CLOSURE T. .I. Duke Russell, 609 Las Lomas Ave.,

Pacific Palisades, Calif. 90272 Filed Oct. 19, 1966, Ser. No. 587,929 6 Claims. (Cl. 222-498) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLGSURE The application discloses an end cap construction for collapsible tubes adapted to containviscous liquid or paste products and includes a pivoted element that snaps shut to close a dispensing opening.

This invention has to do generally with. dispensing closures for use on an end of a collapsible tube or other nonrigid container for controlling the dispensing of viscous liquid, paste or the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel closure construction of the general type set forth in my copending application for patent, Ser. No. 418,509, Patent No. 3,218,025, dated Oct. 25, 1966, but which has certain improved features of construction thereover.

Another object is to provide a pivoted closure element within an end cap or the like so constructed and arranged that when moved to closed position, the closure element functions to forcibly eject any excess residue of contents from the dispensing opening and firmly snaps into place to a tightly closed position.

A further object is to provide a movable closure element of novel construction which is releasably held or locked in closed position but which can be readily opened.

Still another object is to provide a closure cap or end construction for a container embodying a movable closure element having a handle portion .or the like projecting beyond the remainder of the device which is so designed that any pressure or force exerted thereon toward the container, such as might occur in stocking a product on shelves or in shipping a product in packages, only serves to more firmly close the device.

In addition, it is an object to provide an improved closure construction having the various advantages set forth in the copending application for patent mentioned above.

These and other objects will be apparent from the drawing and the following description. Referring to the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational View of a closure cap embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view, partly broken away, similar to FIG. 1 but turned 90 as the device would be viewed from the left-hand side of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary central sectional view through the device of FIG. 1, but on a much larger scale;

FIG. 5 is a sectional detail view of the closure faces taken in the same plane as FIG. 4, but on a larger scale;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view .on line 66 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of a modification.

More particularly describing the invention, referring first to FIGS. 1-6, numeral 11 generally designates a cap which may be formed of a suitable nonrigid plastic, such as polyethylene, polypropylene or polyallmer. The cap has a generally tubular main section 12 provided with internal threads 13 so that the cap can be screwed onto the threaded neck of a container (not shown). It is to be understood, however, that the cap may be formed as an integral part of a container.

The cap has a somewhat narrow dispensing section 14 3,369,719 Patented Feb. 20, 1968 slot 18 is defined at the sides by the two fiat parallel interior surfaces 22, and at its inner end by end wall 16 which will be described in greater detail later.

The closure element 20 which may be of plastic, is pivotally mounted in the slot, being flat-sided to closely fit therein, and in the form of the invention shown, this is accomplished by providing a semicylindrical recess 25 inwardly of the slot 18 which receives a substantially cylindrical mounting section 26 of the closure element that corresponds in curvature to the recess. Between wall portion 27 of the cap and the opposite wall 16 of the cap is a dispensing passage which is controlled by the closure element. A

To insure an effective and improved closure, I provide unique closure faces and portions on the cap and closure element. Thus the cap is formed to provide a flat closure surface 30 which extends downwardly and inwardly to the interior of the cap, that is, toward its longitudinal axis. This surface is undercut at its inner end to provide the undercut surface 31. The closure element 20 is formed to provide a closure face 33 which is designed to mate with or completely engage the surface 30 when the closure element is in the closed position of FIG. 4. The closure element is also formed to provide a lip 34 which is adapted to engage the undercut surface 31 beyond surface 30, as also shown in FIG. 4. This lip is stiffly resilient, its flexibility being somewhat increased by the presence of a transverse groove 36 across the closure element just above the lip.

Closure element 20 is so formed as to provide a stop shoulder 37 which limits pivotal counterclockwise opening movement of the closure element by striking the surface 38 of the cap.

The closure element has a handle portion 40 which projects beyond the end of the cap and this preferably should terminate at its farthest point on the same side of center or axis of the cap as the side the material is dispensed so that any force which may be applied downwardly against the handle, such as would likely occur in shipping the product in packages, or in stacking the product on store shelves, would tend to close the element.

In FIG. 7 I show another form of handle on the closure, wherein the handle 41 projects substantially to one side of the cap and in this view the cap 42 is shown as generally cylindrical. It should be noted that the handle has a high point 43 which is located on the dispensing side of the device so that any downward force against it will tend to close the closure.

. In both devices I show an internal, integral, stiffly flexible seal ring 45 which eliminates the need for any additional seals between the cap and the container. This is tapered on its outer surface to a thin edge so that, when abutted by the container it will bend inwardly.

It the operation of the device, with the parts in the position shown in FIG. 4, the closure element 20 is moved clockwise through and beyond the position of FIG. 5 thereby opening a passage for the escape of contents. When the material is flowing out of the container the lip 34 and groove 36 tend to prevent it from flowing along the handle. When it is desired to close the container the closure element is pivoted counterclockwise or in other words returned to its original position. As it approaches the closed position shown, the two surfaces 30 and 33, before they actually meet, form in effect a diminishing wedge-shaped space, as best seen in FIG. 5, and the lip 34 nips oh the material. Then when the lip 34 finally snaps over the lower end of surface 34) the closure snaps shut, thus serving to eject or spit out any residue of the contents which may remain along the faces 39 and 33 which sealingly engage. The lip of course serves to releasably hold the closure element in closed position.

Although I have shown and described a preferred form of the invention, I contemplate that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention, as set forth in the claims. By way of example, the surfaces 30 and 33 and lip 34 need not be straight, but might be curved or otherwise shaped so long as they mate.

I claim:

1. A dispensing closure construction for a container, comprising a tubular body adapted to form an end on a container, said body having a transverse axial slot extending inward form the outer end and one side thereof, said body having an opening extending from its inner end to and merging with said slot, said slot being defined in part by flat parallel side walls and by an undercut end wall within the body, said body hing formed to provide a concave semicylindrical wall extending through somewhat more than 180 located laterally of said opening, said opening, said semicylindrical wall defining a recess facing the outer end of the body and open to said slot, a flat-sided closure element closely received in said slot and having a pivotal mounting portion complementary to and received in said recess, said closure element extending from its pivotal mounting portion across said opening to said end wall and having a closure face engageable with said end wall, and having a stifily flexible transverse lip adjacent the inner end of said face projecting beyond the face and engageable beneath the undercut portion of the closure face to yieldably hold the closure element closed, said closure element being pivotable to open a passage through said body between said end wall and said closure element for dispensing contents of a container, and interengaging means on said closure element and said body limiting pivotal .opening movement of said closure element to an amount such that the inner edge thereof remains in said slot.

2. The dispensing closure construction set forth in claim 1 in which said closure element has a handle portion so constructed and arranged that it projects axially farthest of said dispensing closure construction on the same side of center as said end wall whereby any inadvertent axial force on such part of the closure element tends to rotate it in closing direction.

3. The dispensing closure set forth in claim I in which said body portion is in the form of a cap having an internally threaded cylindrical inner end portion for threading onto a container.

4. The dispensing closure set forth in claim 1 in which said closure element is provided with a transverse groove between said lip and said closure face.

5. A dispensing closure construction for a container, comprising a body adapted to form an end on a container, said body having a dispensing opening therethrough from end to end, said opening being defined in part at its outer end portion by flat parallel side walls, a flat-sided closure element closely received in said opening and mounted for pivotal movement about an axis normal to the side walls of the opening, said opening further being defined by an end wall having a closure surface facing said closure element and terminating in an undercut portion inwardly of the exterior end of the opening, said closure element having a closure face adapted to mate with said closure surface of said end wall and an inner edge portion extending therefrom toward its pivotal axis and having a stifily resiliently flexible transverse lip located adjacent the inner end of said closure face in position to engage said undercut portion inwardly .of said closure surface and releasably hold the closure element closed, said closure element being pivotable to an open position providing a dispensing space through said body portion between said end wall and said closure element, and interengaging means on said closure element and said body limiting pivotal opening movement of said closure element to an amount such that the inner edge thereof remains in said slot.

6. The dispensing closure set forth in claim 5 in which said closure element has a transverse groove between said lip and said closure face.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,111,245 11/1963 Libit et al 222542 X 3,163,337 12/1964 Wilson 222S34 3,227,330 1/1966 Sadler 222556 X 3,265,256 8/1966 Chaber et al 222542 STANLEY H. TOLLBERG, Primary Examiner. 

